SEA GIRT, N.J. - The National Guard Militia Museum of New Jersey (NGMMNJ) will open two Women's History Month exhibits celebrating the service of New Jersey's female soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen. From the American Revolution forward, "Volunteering for Service: New Jersey Women in War" will highlight more than two centuries of service through photographs, primary source correspondence, period uniforms, and video excerpts from the museum’s award-winning Center for U.S. Veterans’ Oral Histories. The free exhibit opens on Mar. 1 and closes Mar. 31.

"Be it on the battlefield or the home front, the contributions of women in the major conflicts of American history must not be underestimated," said 1st Lt. Vincent Solomeno, museum curator and historian of the New Jersey National Guard. "In many ways, they are the unsung heroines whose dedication and bravery are examples to us all."

The museum at Sea Girt presents a chronological account of the contributions of New Jersey women to the U.S. Armed Forces. From the Battle of Monmouth Court House to female soldiers deployed in Iraq, the exhibit focuses on, among others, New Jerseyans Clara Barton, Clara Maass, and Maj. Gen. Maria Falca-Dodson, current commander of the New Jersey Air National Guard. Falca-Dodson holds the distinction of being the first woman promoted to the rank of general officer in the New Jersey National Guard.

The Lawrenceville Field Artillery Annex exhibit focuses on the ground breaking career of Col. Christine Haycock, who in 1952 became the first woman officer to serve as a physician in the U.S. Army Medical Corps. Following the Korean War, she became the first woman to hold a major command in New Jersey, with responsibility for the Army’s 322nd General Hospital. The exhibit features photographs, memorabilia, and uniforms from Haycock's 38 years in military service.